Good Food is First Food. It is not junk food. It is the food that connects nature and nutrition with livelihoods. This food is good for our health; it comes from the rich biodiversity of our regions; it provides employment to people. Most importantly, cooking and eating give us pleasure. …
workers in warehouses are regularly exposed to respiratory diseases and allergies. Usually, grain warehouses have high concentrations of airborne grain dust which contains very harmful pesticides, bacteria, spores, storage mites and pollens. Fungal spores and other contaminants in the air can lead to serious pulmonary problems. These symptoms have been …
Occupational health, well researched in developed countries, remains neglected in developing countries. One issue of particular importance is the use of pesticides on farms, which can have both chronic and acute impacts on human health. This paper focuses on acute health impacts associated with pesticide exposure in rural Nepal. Based …
Most of us regard the Egyptian pyramids as architectural masterpieces. Justifiably so: the monuments are among the world's finest heritage. But then how many of us know the fate of the workers engaged in building these final resting places for the Egyptian pharaohs? It's scarcely known that stone mining, hand …
"Why shouldn't salt-making be classed as agriculture?' asks R Potharaju. "Both require land, water and sunshine, and are subject to vagaries of nature,' he reasons. Potharaju is convenor of the Prakasam District Salt Farmers Forum. The forum believes that an official categorisation as agriculture would take care of the many …
The pulmonary function test (PFT) had been carried out in one of the largest aluminium producing plant and its mine and refinery of India as well as surrounding community people.
trial and error: The Genetic Engineering Approval Committee has approved large-scale trial of Bt Brinjal, the first ever genetically modified food crop. This comes on the heel of a latest ASSOCHAM report that says Bt Cotton has been a great success. The Centre for Sustainable Agriculture (CSA), Secunderabad, has issued …
The US environment regulator has been sued for approving a popular pesticide, harmful for farm workers and rural residents. On July 31, farmer unions and NGOs filed a lawsuit in the San Jose federal court against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for approving the pesticide chlorpyrifos, sold under several brand …
On July 25, lab Chrysotile, Canada's major producer of chrysotile asbestos, filed for bankruptcy protection. The Canadian Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act grants lab a period of 30 days to submit a proposal. Environmentalists hoped this would signal the end of chrysotile asbestos, allegedly a health hazard. "If they are thinking …
new evidence has emerged showing that the Norwegian ship Blue Lady sent to India for dismantling may have radioactive material on board. Tom Haugen, former project manager of the ship (formerly known as SS Norway), recently submitted a letter in this regard to the Committee of Technical Experts (cte) set …
A former senior environmental agency official strongly denied allegations that the Environmental Protection Agency (epa) had given false information about the air and water quality near the World Trade Center (wtc) after 9/11. Christie Todd Whitman, epa administrator in 2001, was speaking at a hearing of the us congressional panel. …
The workers engaged in storage grain handling are exposed to storage grain dust and suffering from different respiratory problems. In the present study the respiratory function status of the load handling workers (LHW) of grain storage godowns are evaluated by detail static and dynamic pulmonary function tests (PFT).
In a firm step towards checking tobacco use, on May 29 the who issued its strongest policy recommendations. It urged all countries to ban smoking at indoor workplaces and public buildings. It asked governments to immediately pass laws requiring all indoor workplaces and public places to be 100 per cent …
on april 4, 2007, the uk Court Of Appeal upheld a high court ruling that gave former dock workers in the country the right to claim compensation from the government for asbestos-related illnesses. The judgment came after the department of trade and industry (dti) appealed a 2006 high court ruling …
The drive to the Chittagong shipbreaking yards betrays the character of the destination. The road is dotted with shops selling remnants of once-floating behemoths. Timber, torn out of ships, and wood in all shapes and sizes being sold are the most common sight. This is scrap wood and will be …
there has been a sudden surge in ships arriving at Alang for dismantling since November 2006, says the Gujarat Maritime Board (gmb). The shipbreaking yard now faces more toxic hazards. According to gmb, between November 2006 and February 2007, the shipbreaking yard has received 64 small- and medium-sized ships for …
